Hearts were able to use the money from their Scottish Cup replay win to land Beattie

Killie thought they had agreed a deal to sign the out-of-contract striker but then the Tynecastle outfit came in to offer the player even more money in a deal until the end of the season.

Cash-strapped Hearts were able to use some of the money from their Scottish Cup replay win over St Johnstone to land the 28-year-old, who was paid up by Swansea City last month.

It will whip up the war of words again between Sergio and Shiels again.

The Hearts boss joked he would ring his counterparts neck and then refused to shake his hand before or after last weekend’s draw between the two sides at Rugby Park.

Shiels sparked the feud when he claimed that he wouldn’t have stood for Vladimir Romanov meddling in team affairs and then after the weekend he called Sergio a ‘Victor Meldrew’ after his weekend snub.

Hearts steal a march on Kilmarnock with Craig Beattie

It will now boost Hearts’ limited frontline options with John Sutton out on loan with Central Coast Mariners.Ironically, Sutton was sent out to reduce the wage bill and now Hearts have added to it with the arrival of Beattie.

It comes at a time when they tried to sell players in January and they have been late in recent months in getting their wages – although this month’s payment is meant to have been authorised.

Beattie, who has also played for Celtic and West Bromwich, also has a short-term offer from St Mirren and a longer term deal from St Johnstone on the table.